Cabinet for storing a plurality of processing unit modules

ABSTRACT

A cabinet having a plurality of compartments adapted to have disposed in a corresponding one thereof one of a plurality of processing unit modules. Each one of the modules includes a case. The case has a motherboard mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differently configured motherboards, each one of the differently configured motherboards having a different arrangement of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapted cards. The case also has a bulkhead mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differently configured I/O bulkheads, each one of the differently configured bulkheads being configured for a corresponding one of the differently configured motherboards. The case has a fan mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differently configured fan assemblies, each one of the differently configured fan assemblies being configured for a corresponding one of the differently configured motherboards. The case is provided having a motherboard mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto a CPU, main memory and an I/O adapter card. The I/O adapter card has a front lower edge adapted for plugging into the motherboard. A cover is adapted for mounting to the case over the motherboard. The cover has an anti-vibration member adapted to engage a rear upper edge of the I/O adapter card and maintain the I/O adapter card securely plugged into the motherboard when the cover is mounted to the case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to electrical storage cabinets and moreparticularly to electrical storage cabinets adapted to house a pluralityof processing unit modules. The invention also relates to fan assembliesand covers for such cases.

As is known in the art, electrical storage cabinets have a wide range ofapplications. One such application is as a cabinet for a data server.Data servers are used to move data between a storage system, such asbetween a Symmetrix Integrated Cached Disk Array storage system and anetwork. The data server typically includes a set AC powered processingunit modules each of which includes a central processing unit (CPU),input/output (I/O) adapter cards, and a main memory programmed to run avariety of software application programs for subscribers to the network.These applications include file access, video access and/or networkbackup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a cabinet is provided with a pluralityof compartments. Each one of the compartments is adapted to havedisposed therein a corresponding one of a plurality of processing unitmodules. Each one of the modules includes a case. The case has amotherboard mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of aplurality of differently configured motherboards. Each one of thedifferently configured motherboards has a different arrangement of aCPU, main memory and I/O adapted cards. With such an arrangement, thecase is a universal case which may be used for anyone of a repertoire ofdifferently configured motherboards.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the case also has abulkhead mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of aplurality of differently configured I/O adapter card bulkheads. Each oneof the differently configured bulkheads is configured for acorresponding one of the differently configured motherboards.

With such an arrangement, the case may be used for one of a repertoireof different I/O adapter card bulkheads which is suitable for one of themotherboards mounted in the case.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the case has a fanmounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality ofdifferently configured fan assemblies. Each one of the differentlyconfigured fan assemblies is configured for a corresponding differentlyconfigured motherboard.

With such an arrangement, the case may be used for one of a repertoireof differently configured fan assemblies which is suitable to provideoptimum air-flow cooling to one of the motherboards mounted in the case.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, a case is providedhaving a motherboard mounting surface adapted to have mounted thereto aCPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards. The I/O adapter cards have afront bottom edge adapted for plugging into the motherboard. A cover isadapted for mounting to the case over the motherboard. The cover has ananti-vibration member adapted to engage an upper rear edge of the I/Oadapter cards and maintain the I/O adapter cards securely plugged intothe motherboard.

With such an arrangement, the adapter cards are more securely pluggedinto the motherboard case.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the case the I/Oadapter cards have a front mounting bracket secured to a front portionof the case and the anti-vibration member engages the upper rear edge ofthe I/O adapter card when the cover is mounted to the case.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the motherboard hasa plurality of I/O adapter cards with front bottom edges thereof pluggedinto the motherboard, and the anti-vibration member is adapted to engagerear upper edges of the plurality of I/O adapter cards and maintain theI/O adapter cards securely plugged into the motherboard.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention a fan assemblyis adapted for mounting to a case. The fan assembly includes a mountingplate having an aperture formed therethrough and adapted for affixing tothe case with the aperture in registration with an aperture formedthrough a panel of the case. A fan is mounted to the mounting plate withthe fan being disposed in registration with the aperture formed in themounting plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other features of the invention, as well as the invention itself, willbecome more readily apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a data server according to the invention coupledbetween a memory system and a network;

FIG. 2 is a drawing of the data server of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A-3C are simplified, diagrammatical sketches of the data serverof FIG. 1, FIG. 3A showing the front door of a cabinet used to store thecomponents of the data server of FIG. 2, FIG. 3B showing the front ofthe cabinet when the front door of FIG. 3A is open; and FIG. 3C is arear view of the cabinet when a rear door thereof is open.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the data server of FIG. 2; FIG.4A being a rear perspective view of the data server with the rear dooropen; and FIG. 4B being a front perspective view of the data server withthe front door open;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a chassis used by the server of FIG. 2,four such chassis being shown in FIG. 3B, each one of such chassis beingadapted to store up to two processing unit modules;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are perspective drawings showing the chassis ofFIG. 5 storing two processing modules; FIG. 5A showing an arrangementwhere both modules are of the same first type; FIG. 5B showing anarrangement where both modules are of the same second type; and FIG. 5Cshowing an arrangement where one of the two modules is the first typeand the other one of the modules is the second type;

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are front elevation drawings showing the chassis ofFIG. 5 storing two processing modules; FIG. 6A showing an arrangementwhere both modules are of the same first type; FIG. 6B showing anarrangement where both modules are of the same second type; and FIG. 6Cshowing an arrangement where one of the two modules is the first typeand the other one of the modules is the second type;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are rear and front perspective drawings, respectively,of a universal case according to the invention for either the first typeor second type of processing unit modules shown in FIGS. 5A-5B, suchcase being shown with a cover therefor removed;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are exploded perspective drawing of the case of FIGS. 7Aand 7B, such drawings showing first and second motherboards for thefirst and second types of modules, respectively;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are exploded perspective drawing of the case of FIGS. 7Aand 7B, such drawings showing first and second I/O adapter cardbulkheads for the first and second motherboards, respectively;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are exploded, partially broken away perspectivedrawing of the case of FIGS. 7A and 7B, such drawings showing first andsecond fan assemblies for the first and second motherboards,respectively;

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the fan assemblies for the firstmotherboard;

FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the fan assemblies for the secondmotherboard;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are front perspective drawings of the cases of FIGS.7A and 7B configured as the first type and second type of processingunit modules, respectively, such cases being shown with the covertherefor removed;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are rear perspective drawings of the cases of FIGS. 7Aand 7B configured as the first type and second type of processing unitmodules, respectively, such cases being shown with the cover thereforremoved;

FIGS. 14A and 14B are top plan drawings of the cases of FIGS. 7A and 7Bconfigured as the first type and second type of processing unit modules,respectively, such cases being shown with the cover therefor removed;

FIGS. 15A and 15B are top plan drawings of the cases of FIGS. 7A and 7Bconfigured as the first type and second type of processing unit modules,respectively, such cases being shown with the cover therefor removed,such drawing illustrating air-flow through the cases;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective drawing of the case of FIGS. 7A and7B, such drawing showing a top perspective view of a cover used for thecase of FIGS. 7A and 7B;

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective drawing of the cover of FIG. 16, suchcover being shown to have an vibration damping pad according to theinvention affixed thereto;

FIGS. 18A, 18D and 18C are top, side and perspective drawings,respectively, of the vibration damping pad shown in FIG. 17; and

FIG. 19 is a cross-section side elevation view showing the engagement ofvibration damping pad FIGS. 18A, 18B and 18C with I/O adapted cardsplugged into a motherboard and having a front end affixed to the I/Oadapter card bulkhead.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a data server 10 is shown coupled between astorage system 12 and a network 14. The storage system 12 is here aSymmetrix 3500 Integrated Cache Disk Array system manufactured and soldby EMC Corporation, Hopkington, MA, assignee of the present patentapplication. The storage system 12 is coupled to the data server 10through a Fast Wide Differential (FWD) SCSI interconnect 16, as shown.

The data server 10 includes, in a single cabinet 18 shown in FIGS. 2,3A-3E, 4A, 4B a plurality of, here up to eight hot replaceableprocessing unit modules 28. Up to seven of the processing unit modules28 are data movers. The processing unit modules 28 are allinterconnected through a local bus, here an Ethernet bus 24 (FIG. 1), asdescribed in detail in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/884,740filed Jun. 30, 1997 entitled "Data Server Having Hot ReplaceableProcessing Unit Modules", inventors Gallagher et al., the entire subjectmatter thereof being incorporated herein by reference. (Hot replaceablemeans that a component can be removed and/or replaced without aninterruption to the system's, here server's, operation.)

More particularly, fastened within in the cabinet 18 (FIG. 3B) is a setof four sheet metal chassis 200, an exemplary one thereof being shown inFIG. 5. Disposed between upper and lower panels 202, 204 is anintermediate shelf 206 fastened to opposing side panels 210. Eachchassis is adapted to store two processing unit modules 28 as shown inFIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C. It is noted that here there are two different typesof processing unit modules 28. FIG. 5A and 6A show an arrangement whereboth modules 28 are of the same first type; FIGS. 5B and 6B show anarrangement where both modules 28 are of the same second type; and FIGS.5C and 6C show an arrangement where one of the two modules 28 is thefirst type and the other one of the modules 28 is the second type.

Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a universal sheet metal case 300 isshown adapted for either the first or second type of processing unitmodules 28. FIG. 12A and 13A show the case 300 configured as the firsttype of processing unit modules 28, such case 300 being shown with thecover therefor removed; and FIGS. 12B and 13B show the case 300configured as the second type of processing unit modules 28, such case300 also being shown with the cover therefor removed. It is noted thatthe front of each case 300 has a pair of lock-release mechanisms 400;one on each front side of the case. Each lock-release mechanism 400 issimilar to the lock-release mechanism described in the above-referencedpatent application and is used to lock the case 300 in the chassis 200and to remove the case 300 from the chassis 200. The case 300 (FIGS. 7Aand 7B) has a pair of oval shaped holes 317 formed through the rearsurface 325 of the case 300 for air flow, to be described. The rearsurface 325 also serves as a fan mounting surface for fan assemblies tobe described. A pair of elongated, vertically orientated slots 319 isprovided in the rear surface 325 for Teradyne HDM connectors, not shown,as described in the above referenced patent application.

It is noted that the processing unit module 28 is configured to enableuse of market available processing unit module motherboards. Thus, thecase 300 has a motherboard mounting surface 302 (FIGS. 7A and 7B), herethe bottom surface, adapted to have mounted thereto one of a pluralityof differently configured motherboards 302a, 302b as shown in FIGS. 8Aand 8B respectively. Each one of the motherboards 302a, 302b has holes305 for enabling the motherboards 302a, 302b to snap onto posts 307projecting upward from the bottom surface 302 of the case 300. Each oneof the differently configured motherboards 302a, 302b has a differentarrangement of a CPU 304, main memory slots 306 and I/O adapted cardslots 308. It is also noted that the placement of the pair offan-mounted CPUs 304 used in the motherboard 302a is different from theplacement of the pair of fan-mounted CPUs 304 in motherboard 302b. Thefront panel 310 has a plurality of air-holes 354 (FIGS. 7A, 7B) therein.Therefore, case 300 is a universal case which may be used for anyone ofa repertoire of differently configured motherboards.

The case 300 (FIGS. 7A and 7B) also has a front, bulkhead mountingsurface 310, here the front bezel, adapted to have mounted thereto oneof a plurality of differently configured I/O adapter card bulkheads311a, 311b by the same mounting mechanism, here by a set of ten screws312, as indicated in FIGS. 9A and 95. Each one of the differentlyconfigured bulkheads 311a, 311b is specifically configured for acorresponding one of the differently configured motherboards 302a, 302b,respectively, as indicated; more particularly for the particular I/Oslot 308 (FIGS. 8A and 8B) arrangement used by the motherboard. Thus,the case 300 may be used for the one of a repertoire of differently I/Oadapter card bulkheads 311a, 311b which is suitable for the one of themotherboards 302a, 302b, respectively, as indicated, mounted in the case300.

As noted above, the case 300 (FIGS. 7A and 7B) has a fan mountingsurface 325, here the rear surface, adapted to have mounted thereto oneof a plurality of differently configured fan assemblies 327La, 327Ra and327Lb, 327Rb as indicated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, respectively. The fanassembly 327La shown on the left in FIG. 10A is shown more clearly inthe left side of FIG. 11A, the fan assembly 327Ra shown on the right inFIG. 10A is shown more clearly in the right side of FIG. 11A, the fanassembly 327Lb shown on the left in FIG. 10B is shown more clearly inthe left side of FIG. 11B, and the fan assembly 327Rb shown on the rightin FIG. 10B is shown more clearly in the right side of FIG. 11B. It isnoted that each of the fan assemblies 327La, 327Ra, 327Lb, and 327Rbshown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, respectively, has the same shape fan 321mounting plate 329 each of which is adapted for fastening to the rearsurface 325 of case 300 by screws 333 as indicated in FIGS. 10A and 10B.Each one of the differently configured fan assemblies 327La, 327Ra isconfigured for motherboard 302a and fan assemblies 327Lb, 327Rb areconfigured for motherboard 302b. Thus, the case 300 may be used for theone of a repertoire of differently configure fan assemblies 327La,327Ra, 327Lb, 327Rb which is suitable to provide optimum air-flowcooling to the one of the motherboards 302a, 302b mounted in the case300, as will be described in connection with FIGS. 15A and 15B.

Thus, referring to FIGS, 13A and 13B, each one of the fan assemblies327La, 327Ra, 327Lb, 327Rb, is adapted for mounting to the rear surface(i.e., rear panel) 325 of case 300 and has a mounting plate 329 with agrate-like aperture 331 formed therethrough and adapted for affixing tothe case 300 with the aperture 331 in registration with an aperture 331'(FIGS. 10A, 10B) formed through the rear panel 325 of the case 300. Thefans 321 are mounted, here by screws, not numbered, to the mountingplates 329, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B with each fan 329 beingdisposed in registration with the aperture 321, formed in the mountingplate 329.

As noted above, FIGS. 12A, 13A and 14A show the case 300 configured asthe first type of processing unit modules 28, and FIGS. 12B, 13B and 14Bshow the case 300 configured as the second type of processing unitmodules 28. The air flow for the first type processing unit module isshown by the arrows in FIG. 15A and air flow for the second typeprocessing unit module is shown by the arrows in FIG. 15B.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, the case 300 has mounting brackets 316for enabling a cover 348 to be fastened to the case 300 by screws 358.Each case 300 houses a DC powered, environmentally controlled processingunit module 28. The processing unit module 28 includes the motherboard302a, 302b disposed on the bottom surface 302 of the case 300, a dataserver interconnect printed circuit board 350 (FIGS. 14A and 14B)mounted along one side of the case 300 which plug into a backplane 352(FIG. 3C) as described in the above-referenced co-pending patentapplication, the pair of DC fan assemblies 327La, 327Ra and 327Lb, 327Rbmounted on the rear surface 305 of the case 300, and the front I/Oadapter card bulkhead 311a, 311b mounted to the front surface 310 of thecase 300.

As described in the above-referenced patent application, the serverinterconnect printed circuit board 350 has mounted to it a DC to DCconverter, a DC margin and thermal control unit module, a pair ofcontrol busses, a pair of Ethernet 10 Base2 busses, a parallel portinterface and various indicators and switches accessible from the frontpanel of the processing unit module 28. The thermal control unitprocessing unit module 28 is used to control the fans 321 of the fanassemblies 327La, 327Ra and 327Lb, 327Rb, and hence the environment, ofsuch processing unit module 28. Airflow through the data moverprocessing unit module 28 is from front to back, as shown in FIGS. 15Aand 15B. The DC operated fans pull air from holes 354 in the front panel(and holes 354 in a honey-combed adapter card filler plate 356 (FIGS.6A, 13A and 13B) described in the above-referenced patent application)of the processing unit module 28 and through the fans at the rear of themodule 28 across the motherboard 302a or 302b depending on themotherboard configuration used in the case 300.

As noted above, the motherboards 302a, 302b have CPUs, main memory and aplurality of I/O adapter card slots 308 (FIGS. 8A and 8B). I/O adaptercards 420 (FIGS. 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 16) have front bottom edges 422(FIG. 19) adapted for plugging into the I/O slots 308 of themotherboards (FIGS. 16 and 19). The cover 348 (FIGS. 16, 17 and 19) isadapted for mounting to the case 300 by screws 358 threading intobrackets 316 as indicated in FIGS. 16 and 19. The cover 348 has ananti-vibration member 330 (FIGS. 16, 17 and 19). The member 330 has abracket 330a which is riveted onto the cover 348 by rivets 330b. Thebracket 330a protrudes inwardly in the case 300 when the cover 348 isaffixed to the case 300 by mounting screws 358 which thread into thebrackets 316, as indicated in FIGS. 16, 17 and 19). A resilient pad 323(FIGS. 18A, 18B and 18C) is affixed to the mounting bracket 319 by aback-mounted adhesive. The pad 323 is adapted to engage a rear upperedge 360 of the plurality of I/O adapter cards 420 and maintain the I/Oadapter cards 420 securely plugged into the motherboard slots 308 whenthe cover 348 is mounted (i.e, screwed) onto the case 300 by the screws358, as indicated in FIG. 19. The I/O adapter cards 420 are thereforemore securely retained plugged into the motherboard. It is noted thatthe cover 348 shown in FIGS. 16, 17, and 19 has the anti-vibrationmember 330 configured (i.e., sized and positioned) to engage the I/Oadapter cards plugged into motherboard 302a (FIG. 8A), it beingunderstood that if the anti-vibration member 330 of the cover 348 wereto be used with motherboard 302b (FIG. 8B) the anti-vibration member 330would have to be suitably configured to engage to I/O adapter cardsplugged into the motherboard 302b.

More particularly, and considering an example where the anti-vibrationmember 330 is configured, as shown, for the motherboard 302a, each ofthe I/O adapter cards 420 is a convention adapter card having a frontportion 352 mounting bracket 366 (FIGS. 13A and 19) affixed to it. Thebracket 366 is secured to the front I/O bulkhead 311a (FIG. 11A) byindividual screws 368 (FIG. 19) or by an I/O mounting plate described indetail in the above referenced patent application. The screws 368 arethreaded into holes 500 (FIGS. 9A and 9B) in bulkhead 311a with themounting bracket 366 wedged between the head of screw 368 and thebulkhead 311b as shown in FIG. 19. After the card 420 is plugged intoslot 308, the bracket 366 is secured to the front panel 311b by thescrew 368. When the cover 348 is fastened to the case 300 by screws 358the pad 323 of the anti-vibration member 330 engages downwardly the rearupper edge 360 of the I/O adapter card 420. The pad 323 is a resilient,high density polyurethane soft foam with a 3M Company 950 pressureadhesive backing for affixing it to the metal bracket 319.

Other embodiments of the invention are within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cabinet having a plurality of compartmentstherein, each one of the compartments being configured to have disposedtherein a corresponding one of a plurality of processing unit modules,each one of the modules comprising:a case, such case having:(i) amotherboard mounting surface providing an outer panel for the case, suchmounting surface having a plurality of posts extending from the mountingsurface into an interior region of the case, such posts being arrangedto receive a plurality of different physically configured motherboards,each one of the different physically configured motherboards having adifferent arrangement of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards, eachone of the differently configured motherboards having a correspondingdifferent arrangement of holes therein, each one of the differentarrangement of holes being receivable by a portion of the arrangementsof the posts; and (ii) a bulkhead mounting surface configured to havemounted thereto one of a plurality of different physically configuredI/O bulkheads, each one of the different physically configured bulkheadsbeing configured for a corresponding one of the different physicallyconfigured motherboards, each one of the I/O bulkheads having adifferent arrangement of I/O slots, each one of the arrangements of I/Oslots corresponding to an arrangements of the I/O adapter cards of acorresponding one of the motherboards.
 2. A cabinet having a pluralityof compartments therein, each one of the compartments being configuredto have disposed therein a corresponding one of a plurality ofprocessing unit modules, each one of the modules comprising:a case, suchcase having:(i) a motherboard mounting surface having a plurality ofposts extending from the mounting surface into an interior region of thecase, such posts being arranged to receive a plurality of differentphysically configured motherboards, each one of the different physicallyconfigured motherboards having a different arrangement of a CPU, mainmemory and I/O adapter cards, each one of the differently configuredmotherboards having a corresponding different arrangement of holestherein, each one of the different arrangement of holes being receivableby a portion of the arrangements of the posts; and (ii) a fan mountingsurface having an elongated opening therein, such fan mounting surfacebeing adapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differentphysically configured fan assemblies, each one of the differentphysically configured fan assemblies being configured for acorresponding one of the different physically configured motherboards,each one of assemblies having a fan positioned thereon in a differentlateral position along a surface of such assembly, such position beingin accordance with a corresponding one of the differently configuredmotherboards.
 3. A cabinet having a plurality of compartments therein,each one of the compartments being configured to have disposed therein acorresponding one of a plurality of processing unit modules, each one ofthe modules comprising:a case, such case having:(i) a motherboardmounting surface having a plurality of posts extending from the mountingsurface into an interior region of the case, such posts being arrangedto receive a plurality of different physically configured motherboards,each one of the different physically configured motherboards having adifferent arrangement of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards, eachone of the differently configured motherboards having a correspondingdifferent arrangement of holes therein, each one of the differentarrangement of holes being receivable by a portion of the arrangementsof the posts; (ii) a bullhead mounting surface configured to havemounted thereto one of a plurality of different physically configuredI/O bullheads, each one of the different physically configured bulkheadsbeing configured for a corresponding one of the different physicallyconfigured motherboards, each one of the I/O bulkheads having adifferent arrangement of I/O slots, each one of the arrangements of I/Oslots corresponding to an arrangements of the I/O adapter cards of acorresponding one of the motherboards; and (iii) a fan mounting surfacehaving an elongated opening therein, such fan mounting surface beingadapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differentphysically configured fan assemblies, each one of the differentphysically configured fan assemblies being configured for acorresponding one of the different physically configured motherboards,each one of assemblies having a fan positioned thereon in a differentlateral position along a surface of such assembly, such position beingin accordance with a corresponding one of the differently configuredmotherboards.
 4. A case comprising:(i) a motherboard mounting surfaceproviding an outer panel for the case, such mounting surface having aplurality of posts extending from the mounting surface into an interiorregion of the case, such posts being arranged to receive a plurality ofdifferent physically configured motherboards, each one of the differentphysically configured motherboards having a different arrangement of aCPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards, each one of the differentlyconfigured motherboards having a corresponding different arrangement ofholes therein, each one of the different arrangement of holes beingreceivable by a portion of the arrangements of the posts; and (ii) abulkhead mounting surface configured to have mounted thereto one of aplurality of different physically configured I/O bulkheads, each one ofthe different physically configured bullheads being configured for acorresponding one of the different physically configured motherboards,each one of the I/O bulkheads having a different arrangement of I/Oslots, each one of the arrangements of I/O slots corresponding to anarrangements of the I/O adapter cards of a corresponding one of themotherboards.
 5. A case, comprising:(i) a motherboard mounting surfacehaving a plurality of posts extending from the mounting surface into aninterior region of the case, such posts being arranged to receive aplurality of different physically configured motherboards, each one ofthe different physically configured motherboards having a differentarrangement of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards, each one of thedifferently configured motherboards having a corresponding differentarrangement of holes therein, each one of the different arrangement ofholes being receivable by a portion of the arrangements of the posts;and (ii) a fan mounting surface having an elongated opening therein,such fan mounting surface being adapted to have mounted thereto one of aplurality of different physically configured fan assemblies, each one ofthe different physically configured fan assemblies being configured fora corresponding one of the different physically configured motherboards,each one of assemblies having a fan positioned thereon in a differentlateral position along a surface of such assembly, such position beingin accordance with a corresponding one of the differently configuredmotherboards.
 6. A case, comprising:(i) a motherboard mounting surfacehaving a plurality of posts extending from the mounting surface into aninterior region of the case, such posts being arranged to receive aplurality of different physically configured motherboards, each one ofthe different physically configured motherboards having a differentarrangement of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards, each one of thedifferently configured motherboards having a corresponding differentarrangement of holes therein, each one of the different arrangement ofholes being receivable by a portion of the arrangements of the posts;(ii) a bulkhead mounting surface configured to have mounted thereto oneof a plurality of different physically configured I/O bulkheads, eachone of the different physically configured bulkheads being configuredfor a corresponding one of the different physically configuredmotherboards, each one of the I/O bulkheads having a differentarrangement of I/O slots, each one of the arrangements of I/O slotscorresponding to an arrangements of the I/O adapter cards of acorresponding one of the motherboards; and (iii) a fan mounting surfacehaving an elongated opening therein, such fan mounting surface beingadapted to have mounted thereto one of a plurality of differentphysically configured fan assemblies, each one of the differentphysically configured fan assemblies being configured for acorresponding one of the different physically configured motherboards,each one of assemblies having a fan positioned thereon in a differentlateral position along a surface of such assembly, such position beingin accordance with a corresponding one of the differently configuredmotherboards.
 7. A method for mounting one of a plurality of differentphysically configured motherboards in a case, comprising:(A) providing aplurality of different physically configured motherboards, each of theplurality of different physically configured motherboards having adifferent physical layout of a CPU, main memory and I/O adapter cards;(B) providing a plurality of different physically configured I/Obulkheads, each one of the different physically configured I/O bulkheadshaving a physical layout corresponding to one of the differentphysically configured motherboards; (C) providing a case, comprising:(a)a motherboard mounting surface configured to have mounted thereto one ofthe plurality of different physically configured motherboards; and, (b)a bulkhead mounting surface configured to have mounted thereto one ofthe plurality of different physically configured I/O bulkheads; (D)selecting one of the plurality of different physically configuredmotherboards for use in the case; (E) selecting one of the plurality ofdifferent physically configured I/O bulkheads for use in the case, suchselected one of the bulkheads corresponding to the selected one of theplurality of different physically configured motherboards; (F) mountingthe selected one of the plurality of different physically configuredmotherboards to the motherboard mounting surface; and, (G) mounting theselected one of the plurality of different physically configured I/Obulkheads to the bulkhead mounting surface.